Improvement in reversible latches



L. WESTON.

Reversible-Latches.

Patented July 21,1874.

P LAcE, my.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIO'E.

LON WESTON, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,209, dated July 21,1874; application filed May 27, 1874.

CASE 0.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LON WESTON, of Norwich, in the county of New Londonand State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement inKnob-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following specification,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and letters thereon,constitutes a full and clear description of the same.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the latchcase with the cap removed.Fig. Zrepresents a swivel latch-bolt made up of the revolving portion aand the yoke b. Fig. 3 represents a hub made sufficiently thin so as toslide within the case, and at the same time permit the yoke b to slidefreely one side or the other of the arms 0 0, according to construction.

Fig. 4 represents a plate of peculiar form, the

principal features of which are the opening h, the recesses e e and t i,the hole 1", and the rib n. The opening his the seat for the hub D.Figs. 5 and 6 show the plate E in other positions in the case. Fig. 7represents a backend view of the case A, showing how the two parts maybe matched together to form the slot t for the nib a.

This invention relates to an improvement in knob-latches so constructedas to permit the bolt to be reversed for right or left hand doors, andcombines the merits of cheapness and convenience; and consists in thepeculiar construction of the plate for operating the hub.

The plate E is fitted to its bearings 00 m y z in the case, and is heldin position by the spring 8 working through the medium of the yoke andhub, and thence on the plate itself, drawing the recesses e 6 againstthe bearings 00 x. N 0w, it will be seen that, by swinging the nib fromo to 20, so as to bring the recesses t i to match the bearings w w, theplate, together with the hub, yoke, and bolt, will be carried forward bythe action of the spring 8, and the bolt protruded so as to admit ofbein g reversed. --By bringing the nib aback toits former position, theother parts, C and D, will also assume their former positions. In orderthat the plate E may be rendered immovable in rim-locks when attached todoors, I have contrived to have a hole in the nib a correspond with ascrew-hole in the case A, so that, when the screw is inserted, the platemay be held fast. The nib a may be made to protrude through the casenear the cap, or at the other side of the case, by forming a slot ofproper dimensions. I have tested its working in all of the severallocations about the corner of the case nearest to the hub, and preferthe construction of the case represented by Fig. 7, showing the slot andnib n in the back edge of the case. I also have constructed a plate withan oblong opening in the center, as represented in Fig. 8, which, whenturned so as to bring the longer axis of the opening in line with theaxis of the bolt, the reversion can be accomplished the same as with theplate E in Figs. 1, 5, and 6.

The chief merit of my invention over others for the same purpose is itssimplicity. The plate E can be punched out of common sheet metal, or canbe cast in the desired form, with trifling expense. N 0 other extraadditions to the lock-case are necessary, and no extra fitting isrequired. Its location in the case brings the nib n in a convenientposition to be tripped by the thumb and finger, and the in convenienceof pulling at the latch-bolt is avoided. It requires no extra spring tokeep it in position, but is equally effective with a pull, push, orcoiled spring acting upon the bolt in the ordinary way.

' I am aware of the many devices that have been patented to renderknob-latches reversible, and make no claim to a hub sliding within acase. My invention is an improved attachment to the sliding hub; and

What I claim as new, and for which I desire Letters Patent, is-

The plate E, with the opening h, the recesses c e and i i, the hole 1",and the nib n, as represented and described, when in combination withthe bearings 00 a: y z, the slot t, the hub D, the swivel latch-bolt C,and the spring .9, all constructed substantially as shown, and for thepurpose set forth.

LON WESTON. Witnesses CHAS. H. BEEBE, GEO. GREENMAN.

